Apple updates iOS Remote app with AirPlay control of iTunes

Apple on Wednesday updated its Remote application for iOS devices, adding the ability to remotely stream a video from a computer's iTunes library to the new Apple TV via AirPlay.

Remote version 2.1 (iTunes link) is now available on the App Store as a free download. It is compatible with the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, and requires iOS 3.1.2 or later.

Features of the new update, according to Apple, are:
AirPlay video support to control iTunes on your computer to stream videos to an Apple TV
Internet radio control to play thousands of Internet radio streams in iTunes on your computer
The ability to control iTunes on your computer to play Movies and TV shows that are rented from the iTunes Store
Addresses issues connecting to an iTunes library or Apple TV
Includes stability and performance improvements
Apple issued a major overhaul to its iOS Remote application in September, when version 2.0 released. That added support for the iPad, as well as the high-resolution Retina Display found on the iPhone 4 and latest iPod touch.

The application has received more report of late, after months of stagnation. In August, it was revealed that the original version 1.0 application was developed by just one person at Apple, who became busy with other projects.

I'm confused.
I am already able to sit down in front of my TV with ATV connected and use the Remote app to navigate the ATV to play movies that I have in iTunes on my Computer(s).

What has changed here?

I think it's just a technicality to now be able to do it via airplay. So now you can search on your idevice push play then put it on atv via airplay instead of searching using the controller trackpad thing.

My guess is apple is going to first support all their apps that would work well with airplay (ie. keynote) then open the api's to 3rd party's.

It's a slow role out (probably to make sure it all works great) but as long as new features continue to come airplay should be the thing that sets atv apart.

Everyone keeps talking about how great it would be to have a real Apple TV.
Since you mentioned using airplay to stream a keynote, how cool would it be to have an HD projector with an Apple TV baked in. Imagine giving presentations without having to mess with cables. Imagine a panel discussion where you don't need to keep plugging in different laptops.

I'm confused.
I am already able to sit down in front of my TV with ATV connected and use the Remote app to navigate the ATV to play movies that I have in iTunes on my Computer(s).

What has changed here?

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcahill009

I think it's just a technicality to now be able to do it via airplay. So now you can search on your idevice push play then put it on atv via airplay instead of searching using the controller trackpad thing.

It is the ultimate Remote Control for the AppleTV -- especially on an iPad.

iPad 6) or you can go do something else, such as set up streaming between a different computer's iTunes and a different AppleTV

iPad 7) or you can play a game, browse the web, or just turn the iPad off

None of the navigation, search, password entry, selection, etc. stuff ever appears on the TV -- it's all done on the remote.

Once the "play" connection (see step iPad 4, above) is made between iTunes and AppleTV, the iPad has done its job and can get out of the way (like any good universal remote)

What is happening is kinda' reverse broadcasting (suckcasting?) where the AppleTV and iTunes are doing their thing, getting cover art, metadata and streaming content, as needed.

An implication of all this is that the AppleTV can carry on an intelligent dialog with a corresponding server-type app similar to the iTunes app.

The server app could be something like a cloud iTunes, NetFlix, or even, say, Mobile Safari ion the iPad.

Conceivably, you could be playing whatever on your AppleTV (as outlined above). Then surf/search/browse the Internet for some content. When you've found what you want, you "connect" the web content to the AppleTV similar to above.

And it begins to play -- the TV shows the content only -- surfing/typing-lesson cruft never appear on the TV.

The remote has a full QWERTY keyboard plus all the AV controls and you can see what you are doing on the remote's screen -- in the dark!

Give the next iPad (iPhone, iPod Touch) IR capability so it can replace the TV remote (and all the other remotes) -- and we have mission accomplished (until the content owners/providers allow streaming of Live events, etc).

Note to Harmony shareholders -- in the words of the Late Don Meridith: "Turn out the lights... the party's over..."

How about an after Jan 15 promotional package deal for an AppleTV and an iPad or iPod Touch!

Why would anyone/anyplace with a HDTV not want an AppleTV/iPad (iPod Touch) TV etender?

"Swift generally gets you to the right way much quicker." - auxio -

"The perfect [birth]day -- A little playtime, a good poop, and a long nap." - Tomato Greeting Cards -

The ability to properly stream a movie thats on your computer, (not just your iphone/ipad) to your ATV

You could have used the remote app stream from your computer to the Apple TV before the update. The difference is previously you had to use the app to control the Apple TV and then use the Apple TV to find the content on the computer. Now you can use the remote app to control iTunes on your computer and push the content to your Apple TV. You end up with the same capability in the end, but now you have two ways to initiate that capability.

I think this will be important for streaming to devices that will support airplay playback but you cannot remote directly like the AppleTV.

For example, say in the future you have a receiver like Denon or Sony which supports Airplay... you can now play all your stuff from the computer to it and control using the IOS Remote App from iPhone.

Right now, this new feature does seem redundant because all we really have is AppleTV to play our music and video on using airplay.

I think this will be important for streaming to devices that will support airplay playback but you cannot remote directly like the AppleTV.

For example, say in the future you have a receiver like Denon or Sony which supports Airplay... you can now play all your stuff from the computer to it and control using the IOS Remote App from iPhone.

Right now, this new feature does seem redundant because all we really have is AppleTV to play our music and video on using airplay.

Actually, the iOS Remote app allows you to connect any iTunes library (iTunes running a computer on a local LAN or WiFi) to any AppleTV or iTunes app running on a computer on the same LAN -- and any available speakers (Airport Express, etc.) on the same LAN.

If you have several computers (and/or several AppleTVs) you can make multiple connections using a single iOS device running the Remote app.

In the simplest case (1 computer and no AppleTV) you can use the iOS Remote app to connect the iTunes source to the iTunes destination on the same computer.

It is quite flexible.

"Swift generally gets you to the right way much quicker." - auxio -

"The perfect [birth]day -- A little playtime, a good poop, and a long nap." - Tomato Greeting Cards -

It actually is a pretty awesome feature. I don't have to be in front of Atv to control what is playing on it. In fact, I have better results using the remote app to control the computer with itunes and "pushing" it to the Atv than I do using Atv to retrieve the information from the computer. Sometimes it lags when "loading" the media. Also now I can be in front of my TV with my Mac Mini Media Center, pause the movie, go to my bedroom and resume the movie on my Atv. Pretty nice. Now if only the Video could be streamed from my EyeTv( in it's eyeTV format) to the Atv, and Plex, I'd be a very happy camper. I thought I'd wanted apps on the Atv to do this, but it seems having an iOS device to handle the "push" is a very nice approach as the Atv, doesn't need to store an app, it just is a media output device. Pretty cool.

Is there anyone that can help me? Since updating to iTunes 10.1.1, and remote app 2.1, home sharing absolutely does not work across the board. iPhone can't see it, iPad can't see it, new AppleTV can't see it.